1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hinge preparation assemblies, and more particularly, to an adjustable hinge preparation assembly adapted to receive standard or heavy weight hinges.
2. Background Information
Hinge cutouts or mortises are usually made during the formation of the hinge jamb members of a steel door frame. A hinge reinforcement member, in the form of a plate or channel is generally welded across the hinge cutouts and serves to support a hinge leaf. The hinge reinforcement member has threaded holes corresponding to the holes in the hinge leaf.
In order to avoid the necessity of separately manufacturing and stocking door frames that will accommodate either standard weight or heavy weight hinges, efforts have been made in the past to provide hinge preparation assemblies that would permit converting from a standard weight to a heavy weight hinge without changing the depth of the cutouts.
In one such effort, a wire shim was positioned between a standard weight hinge and the reinforcement member. Removal of the shim allowed the reinforcement member to accommodate heavy weight hinges. U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,930 to King et al. is illustrative of such an effort. This arrangement does not permit adjustment of the door clearance at the door's strike edge.
In another effort, an adaptor piece incorporating a breakaway shim was mounted to the hinge reinforcement member. To convert the door frame to accept heavy weight hinges, the breakaway shim was removed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,286 to Schwartz disclosed such a device. This arrangement also did not permit adjustment of the door clearance at the strike edge of the door, and it permitted only one-time use of the breakaway shim.